IPL 7: Upset MCA shoots letter to CCI, BCCI over IPL Eliminator

By Harit N Joshi |Posted 15-May-2014

Mumbai Cricket Association objects to Indian board's decision to allot IPL big-ticket game to Brabourne

On one hand the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is fighting hard to get the Indian Premier League-7 final back to the Wankhede Stadium, while on the other, they have shot off a letter to the Cricket Club of India (CCI), who will host the Eliminator on May 28 after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moved all matches out of Chennai.

An Australia tour game at Brabourne Stadium in 2004. Pic/Getty Images

The Eliminator was earlier scheduled to take place at Chepauk, but no matches were possible there due to the ongoing dispute between Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the municipal corporation over construction of a few stands.

The MCA has also written to the BCCI stating that CCI will require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MCA before hosting the match. In the letter, the MCA has stated a clause which says that it is the state body's prerogative to allot a venue for the match since CCI falls within its jurisdiction.

CCI president Sevanti Parekh confirmed to mid-day that they have received a letter from the MCA. "Yes we have received a letter from the MCA," Parekh said yesterday. "But there is no problem as such between the CCI and MCA. We are friends," he insisted.

'MCA & CCI are friends'When asked whether CCI will reply to the letter, Parekh said: "The BCCI has given us the match. We have no contractual agreements with the MCA. We are one of the founder members of the BCCI; we are members of the Board just like the MCA. So, if the BCCI has any concerns regarding the match then we will address it to them."

The MCA claims it is obliged to honour its commitments to its member clubs even if the game is not held at Wankhede. "We have 350 clubs, who have the right to watch every match played under MCA's jurisdiction. We have to take care of their interests," said an MCA official.

Will the CCI extend its facilities to the MCA members? "Do they extend facilities to CCI members when a match is played at the Wankhede Stadium?" asked Parekh.

"If the MCA has a problem with the match being awarded to CCI then they have to deal with the BCCI. We don't need to take any permission from the MCA to host matches at the Brabourne Stadium. We will do what the BCCI tells us. We are thrilled to receive an IPL match. Our members are looking forward to the game."

As far as the letter to the BCCI is concerned, its secretary Sanjay Patel categorically stated yesterday that CCI does not come under the MCA ambit. "CCI is a full member of the Board. As per our rules, CCI's ground (Brabourne Stadium) is their jurisdiction.

They do not come under the MCA. Also, in the Annual General Meeting (in Sept 2013) it was decided to allot matches to CCI. So many IPL matches have been played there before. At that time the MCA had no problems," Patel told mid-day from Baroda.